House panel urged to postpone hearing so VP Duterte could face NBI

Vice President Sara Duterte—NIÑO JESUS ORBETA

MANILA, Philippines — The House Representatives panel probing Vice President Sara Duterte should postpone its hearing on Friday so she could answer the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) subpoena that required her presence on the same day.

House Assistant Majority Leaders Taguig 2nd District Rep. Pammy Zamora and Lanao del Sur 1st District Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong made the call on Thursday to the House committee on good government and public accountability to postpone its Nov. 29 hearing.

The NBI has summoned Duterte for revealing that she has instructed someone to kill President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., his wife Liza, and his cousin House Speaker Martin Romualdez if she is killed.

“These are serious allegations that demand Vice President Duterte’s full attention and cooperation,” Zamora said in a statement, noting that the NBI’s probe is an “urgent matter.”

“Given the serious nature of the allegations being investigated by the NBI, the Vice President’s immediate priority must be to comply with the bureau’s summons and provide a clear explanation to the Filipino people,” Adiong said.

They also said the House panel’s hearing could wait.

“The House blue ribbon committee’s hearing can be rescheduled to allow the Vice President to focus on the NBI inquiry without distraction,” Zamora said. “We can conduct the House hearing at a later time when these pressing concerns have been addressed.”

“The House hearing, where the Vice President is only expected to accompany her staff and not directly answer lawmakers’ questions, can be postponed to prioritize this urgent matter,” Adiong said.

Duterte said earlier that she would attend the House hearing on the alleged misuse of the P612.5-million confidential funds allocated to the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education during her tenure as education secretary.

READ: Sara Duterte takes oath to tell truth at OVP fund probe